


FORGET-ME-NOT

by unknown_name



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Conflicted Feelings – Resentment vs Sorrow, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Language of Flowers, Post-Canon, Spoilers, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-05-18 00:57:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14842544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknown_name/pseuds/unknown_name
Summary: Several months passed since the conclusion of what had been known as "the Shidou case." All the actors of this affair had now moved on with their lives, finally getting to piece back the puzzle of their futures into a bright picture. But a fulfilling life doesn't mean it cannot feel incomplete somehow, and as she reached for the final piece of the puzzle only to realize it was missing from the box, Niijima Sae couldn't help but wonder... why exactly she felt that way.





	FORGET-ME-NOT

"But I have to say, Niijima-kun... you really were amazing in there. That look on the prosecutor's face when you proved the wife's wounds were self-inflicted just so she could accuse our client of abuse... now this is what I call justice. With capable people like you around, there might be some hope for this world after all."  
  
"Thank you for everything, sir."  
  
With a wave of dismissal that indicated such thanks were unnecessary, Niijima Sae's superior turned on his heel to leave, but not before he let it slip that today's victory called for a celebration with the entire office. The woman smiled, promising she would make some room in her busy schedule for the occasion, and bowed briefly one last time as he disappeared around the corner of the hallway. Though her attitude divulged only natural poise and composure, her inner feelings were telling another story, made manifest by the lucid reenactments of the trial her brain was conjuring up for her. Like a screening reeling through her mind, she saw it all – the plaintiff's accusations and the prosecutor's incessant badgering on top of it, the hostility etched on each of the gallery's faces, the inquisitive stare of the judge who was silently watching the situation unfold meanwhile... and then, there was that pleading look in the accused's eyes, too. The look he gave her as he wordlessly begged for help.  
  
Seeing him bow again and again while he showered her in thanks was a more precious reward than any prospect of celebration. There was something almost exhilarating about it, something that made her feel good about herself, akin to the remote feeling of satisfaction lingering within one's mind in the wake of a good deed achieved. It was a powerful sensation, as if she were some kind of superheroine – just like  _they_ had been, once.  
  
Niijima Sae smiled to herself a tiny smile as she readjusted her bag over her shoulder and left the courthouse. The thought was embarrassingly childish, to such an extent she wouldn't be caught dead sharing it with anyone, and even so, battling for the sake of others, being relied on and trusted by people who willingly put their fates in her hands, watching the worry on their faces melt into relieved happiness... Yes, she truly felt like a superheroine. The kind that could perhaps change the world... the kind that she hoped the Phantom Thieves would have been proud of.  
  
"I'm home." she announced sometime later once she pushed the door to her apartment open, tilting her head in confusion at the shuffling and fidgeting her arrival apparently caused.  
  
"Oh! Um, h-hi, Sis." Makoto stammered as she sprang up from the sofa and reached for the remote control as quick as lightning. An amused smile made its way to Niijima Sae's lips, and her little sister's ill-disguised agitation did nothing to wipe it away. "H-How was your day? What about the trial...?"  
  
"Not guilty." she answered with a grin, deciding to pretend she didn't notice the cutesy-looking panda on the TV screen before it abruptly went black. Makoto heaved a great sigh of relief which she suspected might not be entirely motivated by the good news.  
  
"N-Not guilty...? Th-That's, that's amazing, Sis! I knew you could do it! I should, I should cook something special for the occasion–"  
  
"Thank you, Makoto, but there's no need." the woman interrupted serenely, picking up the pleasant smell of a home-cooked meal wafting from the kitchen. "Besides, I am sure that whatever you already prepared is perfect enough."  
  
Taken aback but flattered in the end, the young girl sheepishly glanced away before she joined her for dinner. Half an hour later and her stomach feeling uncomfortably full – Makoto's cooking truly was getting better by the day – Niijima Sae left the table, helping her sister put the dishes away.  
  
"Ah, before I forget..." she muttered, reaching for a dust cloth. "The vase is getting really dusty, it is about time I give it a quick wipe..."  
  
Indeed, the ornamental vase sitting on their dinner table was covered with a thin layer of dust. It was nothing special, only a thin, high object made of transparent glass, but beautiful enough to serve as decoration on its own.  
  
"I'll do it, Sis." Makoto interjected. "You had a long day. Why don't you take a bath?"  
  
Although she probably should have, Niijima Sae didn't protest – she did have a long day, and the prospect Makoto was offering sounded more welcome than she cared to admit. Giving her words of thanks, she wasted no time and hopped into a long, relaxing bath. It had been several months since the last time she actually soaked in the tub rather than take a quick shower, so much that it took her an infinite amount of resolve to finally leave the warm water and put on her bathrobe. Her little sister's cheerful voice reached her the moment she stepped into the hallway.  
  
"Yes, college is going well. It is much more work than high school, of course, but I manage for now... Huh? O-Of course I'm not forgetting about making friends... I get along with my classmates just fine, really. What about you, Haru? I heard from Futaba that your coffee blend became one of the most popular orders at Leblanc..."  
  
Niijima Sae smiled, and silently made for her bedroom to change into nightwear. Her smile still lingered on her lips even two hours later, when she finally put her laptop away and wished Makoto good night. Distant traces of euphoria glowed inside the hollows of her mind at the recollection of today's trial, but not only that – she finally felt like she was truly living a fulfilling life. Both the envy and the bitterness plagued her no more, she was slowly but surely relearning what it meant to be a sister, and thanks to the Phantom Thieves opening her eyes, she was now fighting for the right cause rather than the wrong one. There wasn't a single spot of shade to spoil the bright horizon ahead of her, and Niijima Sae fell asleep feeling lighter than she had ever felt since her father left this world.  
  
"Huh, you're already here? Talk about being an early riser..."  
  
Several days went by since the closure of the alleged abuse case. The clicking of Niijima Sae's keyboard bore a startling likeness to machine gun fire as she kept typing a report away, her eyes scrolling fast to keep up with the hundreds of characters blooming on the screen. It was an early morning at work, and while she had no obligation to do so, she couldn't help but show up at least one hour before her co-workers – a habit she picked up from her prosecuting days.  
  
"Did you have a morning coffee yet? They finally repaired the machine, so... here."  
  
Too engrossed in her task to bother looking up, Niijima Sae reached out mechanically, her face stuck in an intense frown of concentration. "Thank you, Akechi-kun–"  
  
It was as though all sound suddenly ceased. She immediately interrupted herself, and her wide eyes met equally confused ones.  
  
"Huh? You feeling tired, Niijima-san?"  
  
Niijima Sae didn't immediately respond. Holding out a plastic cup of coffee to her was a lanky youth, an intern in his college years whose laid-back behavior earned him the impatience and attachment of the office in equal parts. She was not particularly close to him, though his occasional assistance – usually involving errands of all sorts and making photocopies – was appreciated.  
  
"Ah, um... No, I'm fine. I apologize for the confusion–"  
  
"Don't sweat it, Niijima-san. Happens." the young man cut off with a shrug. "So, uh... You sure you don't want that coffee?"  
  
As if forcefully yanked back to reality, she gave a tiny start at the reminder and finally accepted the hot drink, mumbling her thanks. The intern, possibly interpreting her odd behavior as a desire to be given space, excused himself before nonchalantly walking out of the room, leaving her alone with only her unbidden reminiscence to keep her company.  
  
_"Don't you think you are overdoing it, Sae-san? You shouldn't be pushing yourself so hard. Why don't you come to work a bit later tomorrow, for once?... Haha, ignoring me, aren't you. Well, in that case... Here."_  
  
_"Mh? Coffee?"_  
  
_"I think a little pick-me-up will do you a lot of good. Don't you want it?"_  
  
_"Well, since you went to the trouble of bringing a cup for me... Thank you, Akechi-kun. I appreciate it."_  
  
_"You're wel–"_  
  
_"By the way... What was that about you thinking a pick-me-up would do me a lot of good? Are you implying I look terrible?"_  
  
_"Huh? N-No, of course not, Sae-san..."_  
  
Niijima Sae could still remember the awkward chuckle he had let out afterwards. The little laugh Akechi Goro used to give each time he was feeling flustered.  
  
"Hmph..."  
  
Wrinkles of disdain sprouted upon her face, and she spent the rest of the morning in a sourer mood than usual. She tried to focus again and again, but it was no use – her mind kept wandering elsewhere. Kept wandering to him.  
  
November 20th of the previous year was the last time she ever saw him in person. Like always, he had been friendly then, charming, even playful – and his dozens of TV appearances in the following week had been no different. The public and media alike had thrown themselves at his feet, showering him with words of praise befitting a dream come true, openly treating him like the Second Coming of the Detective Prince they thought he was. And Akechi-kun had seemed to revel in it all, multiplying his appearances, winking and waving at his fans, promising to see them all again very soon... until the day when those appearances came to an abrupt stop.   
  
It had happened overnight. Like he had never existed in the first place. Yes, the public did wonder what became of him, the media did discuss his whereabouts, his fans did lament his withdrawal from the spotlight. But those rumors, questions and debates, so heated back then, had eventually died down, and all that remained was now a faint memory belonging to a distant past. Akechi-kun had reached his last stop. The world meanwhile had kept on turning.  
  
Niijima Sae furrowed an eyebrow, staring at her laptop screen without quite seeing it. Even Akechi-kun's most zealous fans, those who used to claim their very existences revolved around him, had now moved on to the newer celebrities without ever looking back. It was almost cruel, how fickle their devotion was, how quick it had been to turn to apathy. Almost as though nobody ever truly cared about him even in his days of glory. As though they all forgot about him.  
  
_"Yes, all that's left is sending the calling card, and Shidou will finally get what he deserves. Don't worry, we'll be careful, I promise. Um, by the way, Sis... there is something I need to tell you. It's... about Akechi-kun."_  
  
... Of course, it wasn't like she actually _pitied_ him. The news of his fate had disconcerted her, there was no denying it, but her initial shock had long eroded into a bitter grudge. Criminals weren't worthy of pity, after all, pleasant manners and charisma be damned. A liar, a cheater, a traitor, a murderer – this is what Akechi-kun was. This is what he had always been. And Niijima Sae had been completely deceived, fooled by his lies and perfect mask, never realizing the culprit responsible for the series of incidents that shook Japan the previous year had been by her side all along, manipulated by the person whom she had trusted, the person whose opinions and skills she had valued, the person whose company she had come to enjoy deep down to a certain extent...  
  
Anger began to boil deep in the pit of her stomach, and she closed her laptop more brusquely than intended. Several of her co-workers turned to look in her direction, though she paid them no mind. The rest of her day was spent organizing documents and reviewing case files, sometimes punctuated by short trips to the coffee machine. It was late afternoon when she finally left the office and made for home, her temper still at a higher level than normal. Her report should have been thrice as long by now, and she definitely didn't look forward to coming back to it this evening when she could have used that time more efficiently. Her annoyance didn't take long to step aside for resignation, however, and the moment she was home to be greeted by a cheerful Makoto, she opened her laptop again with a weary sigh.  
  
But then, as she sat down at the dinner table, her eyes caught the ornamental vase, looking pristine and devoid of even a speck of dust. Niijima Sae stared in perplexity, unable to tear her gaze away.  
  
From the vase was peeking out a long stem. A single stalk of beautiful flowers.  
  
_What the..._  
  
It was hanging slightly to the side under the weight of the colorful bunches that climbed it up. From their yellow cores departed delicate, light blue petals, reminiscent of tiny suns spotting dozens of skies. With how vibrant they were, it was obvious the stalk had been freshly picked.  
  
"... Makoto?" the woman finally called while still fixing the vase like in a trance, her voice slightly strained. "Did you put those flowers here?"  
  
"Hm?" came Makoto's muffled voice from behind the door to her bedroom. "I thought you did, Sis. Didn't you come home at one point today before returning to work?"  
  
"What...? No, I didn't..." Niijima Sae muttered, though too quietly for her sister to hear. Her confusion was at its peak, and her brain scrambling to come up with an explanation as to what those flowers were doing here, only to come up blank.  
  
But above all, what made her feel so unnerved, what sent her heart into a frantic fit, was that those flowers were forget-me-nots. Akechi-kun's very favorite.  
  
She remembered perfectly. That day of summer back then, when he had dropped by her office at the station.  
  
_"Sae-san, good morning."_ he had said cheerfully, dragging her out of the review of one particularly difficult case. She had looked up at him, and had found herself addressing the obvious rather than greet him back.  
  
_"Hm? What are you doing with those flowers, Akechi-kun?"_  
  
The bouquet of forget-me-nots he had been carrying was big and neatly arranged, to the point Niijima Sae had thought it might have not looked too out of place in the hands of a bride. Akechi-kun had gotten somewhat embarrassed, and his answer had been accompanied by a graze of his cheek with his index finger.  
  
_"Well, um, I happened to be asked during a meet-and-greet segment what kind of flower I liked the most..."_ he had explained clumsily, all too aware of what Niijima Sae had been thinking – for being such a famous detective, the public sure treated him more like a bubbly idol. _"It was broadcast yesterday on TV, and as a result, some fans of mine gave me this bouquet on my way here this morning..."_  
  
_"Forward as ever, aren't they."_ she had replied, and while she couldn't have sounded more exasperated, a tinge of amusement did peek through her voice. _"That aside, I'm surprised forget-me-nots are your flower of choice, Akechi-kun. Most people don't care much for wildflowers."_  
  
A curious look had joined Akechi-kun's smile at her remark. He had gazed at her briefly, and had then removed one stalk of flowers from his bouquet, putting it gently in the empty vase which had been sitting on Niijima Sae's desk. _"... I think they have a wonderful name."_  
  
She had thrown him a mildly intrigued glance before burying herself in her work again. Each following day, that stem of forget-me-not had been the first thing to greet her in the morning. Even when it withered, its beauty didn't fade – it only changed, losing its perfection but gaining a melancholic, pleasant air as its vibrant blue morphed into a more subdued shade.

Niijima Sae shook her head, and yanked herself back to the present. The stem of forget-me-nots under her eyes looked just like the one in her reminiscence. How in the world did it get there...?  
  
"Um, Sis? Could you come here for a second? There's something wrong with my laptop..."  
  
It took the woman longer than normal to fully register Makoto's call. Slowly, hesitantly, she got off her chair and made for her sister's room, only to throw another glance over her shoulder at the stem. It looked beautiful, bathed in the fading, orange sunlight of the summer dusk – just as gorgeous as it was sad.  
  
Niijima Sae's heart tightened, and she hastily left the living room without ever looking back.  
  
She didn't sleep well that night. Thousands of thoughts were jostling one another inside her head, starting with the matter of the flowers' mysterious appearance. Like earlier, no satisfying answer came to be, much to her unease. The mere sight of them had been enough to unhinge her, and while her instinct had been to throw them away, she couldn't bring herself to do so for some reason. It was almost as though a mysterious force was preventing her from complying, as though it wouldn't be fair to Akechi-kun's memory–  
  
_What...? Fair...?_  
  
Her hands, already tense, gripped her pillows even harder. She was being a fool again. She was trying to be just for the one person who had trampled upon the very concept of justice itself, who had treated justice as nothing but a meaningless farce even as he claimed to fight in its name. All he deserved from her was her contempt, and nothing else.  
  
And yet... amidst the resentment in her heart, there was a tiny hint of another emotion, so faint it might have seemed as though it wasn't there at all. Unbeknownst to her, this emotion would soon come to eat away at her resentment little by little, and it started with the morning following Niijima Sae's sleepless night.  
  
"What the... What is this...?"  
  
The woman was rooted to the spot. She barely heard the door to Makoto's room creak open as her sister shuffled into the living room, still in her pajamas and clearly half-asleep. "What's wrong, Sis...?"  
  
Niijima Sae didn't know how to respond. Makoto rubbed her eyes for several seconds while she insisted. "Sis?"  
  
"Hm...? Oh, it's, it's nothing, Makoto. I... I already showered, so the bathroom is free."  
  
No sooner did the brown-haired girl nod drowsily and leave that Niijima Sae's smile fell from her lips as quickly as she had plastered it on. Makoto had apparently not noticed anything out of the ordinary, not noticed what had changed since the previous day – and as her heart started to beat faster, the older woman was wishing she hadn't as well. The second stem of forget-me-nots that had appeared in the vase was looking just as beautiful as the first one.  
  
"Hm? Are you alright, Niijima-kun?"  
  
Ten days had passed since then. Niijima Sae was busy at work, struggling to keep her eyes open, but her superior was not fooled – her dark circles told no lies.  
  
"I am, sir... Please don't worry about me." was all she found to say, managing a smile that turned out too weak to be entirely reassuring. The man gave a long sigh, seeing right through her with ease.  
  
"I don't want you to collapse on me, Niijima-kun... You look like you haven't slept in ages. How about taking the day off tomorro–"  
  
"Thank you for your concern, sir." she interrupted politely, though with a vibe of dismissal that made any possibility for further discussion cut short. "But I promise that I am fine."  
  
In all reality, she was feeling more exhausted than ever. Her superior's comment had been spot on – she truly hadn't slept in ages. Her heart rate was permanently higher than it used to be even at rest, though she wasn't sure that last choice of words was a wise one. In fact, there hadn't been a period of rest for her heart nor herself in the last ten days. And the worst part of it all was, she couldn't share what kept her awake at night with anyone, unless she made peace with the fact that her entourage would think she was joking at best, and deem her insane at worst.  
  
But she knew she wasn't going insane. She wasn't having hallucinations either, nor was she dreaming. Even Makoto noticed on the morning of the third day that there were now three stems of forget-me-nots in the vase rather than just one, a remark which Niijima Sae had hastened to dismiss by saying she brought the two latest ones in. She wasn't sure why she was lying to her, for she knew Makoto would understand right away that she was telling the truth. Perhaps it was because admitting she had nothing to do with the mysterious increase of flowers would mean acknowledging the impossible, the preposterous. Each night, she made sure that every single potential entrance to their home was firmly locked, and whatever relief she would feel at the realization that nobody could ever sneak in went up in smoke the moment she laid her eyes on the vase the next morning, displaying one more stem of flowers than the previous day. She had checked again and again, but there had been no sign of trespassing in their home whatsoever – no broken window, no picked lock, nothing. And as she kept wracking her brains, the bouquet kept growing.  
  
The next morning was no different. The slight jump her heart usually gave at the sight of a newest stem was already gone, replaced by a mere stare that conveyed nothing. And yet, she still couldn't bring herself to dispose of the flowers. There was something poignant about them, something that reminded her not of Akechi-kun's true nature and betrayal, but of something else entirely. Something softer, warm, something she felt as though she had cherished, and was now terribly missing.  
  
It was all slowly coming back. The memories of the pleasant times they had together.  
  
That time when his face had lit up at the announcement she would treat him to sushi for his birthday. That time when he had looked a little awkward but proud nonetheless as she congratulated him for his excellent grades. That time when he had brought her coffee unprompted, noticing how tired she was feeling. That time when he had stayed up all night to gather for her the final clues she needed to settle a difficult case. That time when he had been genuinely grateful after she hid him from a horde of rabid fans. That time when he had helped her tidy up her office for an entire day without a single complaint. That time when he had put a stem of forget-me-nots in her vase at work, a gentle smile hovering on his lips.  
  
As she left her apartment, shivering slightly in the morning breeze, she couldn't help but wonder – had all those moments been an act? Had Akechi-kun been wearing a mask all along even then? Had he only plastered a cheerful smile on his face so that he could conceal a cold indifference underneath?  
  
The first answer echoing through her head was that yes, he had. That whatever bond they might have had was nothing more than mere history and never held any meaning for him. But was that the truth...?  
  
Her heart tightened hard, just like a fist. The tiniest seeds of doubt were being sown inside her mind, giving birth to a complicated feeling she wished never came to be. The mere possibility that Akechi-kun did show her glimpses of sincerity after all sent through her chest a pang of pain so swift she had to temporarily stop in her tracks. It was a familiar pain, though not because it was recurrent – she had felt it only once before. What made it familiar was how severe that pain was – a sensation she never forgot.  
  
Right now, as she was thinking of Akechi-kun, she was feeling the same pain she did on the day when her father died.  
  
A powerful mixture of sorrow and grief, the sensation that she could never smile again, that the world was collapsing under her feet, the feeling that all life stopped and yet, there was one difference between Akechi-kun's death and her father's – she had lost the latter only once. But she was now feeling as though she had lost the former twice, the first time months ago, the second time today. She had come to terms with his death back then, had even done a good job remaining rather unaffected given the revelations surrounding him. But her heart had told another story, bearing the evidence of cuts she had thought inexistant. And now, those cuts had reopened, evolving into gashes and lacerations, dug raw by a new cycle of mourning she had Akechi-kun to blame for, not even entirely sure whether he deserved her sorrow or not...  
  
Then, as she passed through a deserted alley overlooked by a long row of trees, it happened.  
  
Her eyes, downcast, caught something blue lying at her heels. Her throat was tight, her gaze slightly trembling, and her hand felt weak as she crouched down to pick up the object.

It was a single forget-me-not, barely larger than a coin. She peered at it in captivation, her breathing becoming shallower. It wasn't the only flower on the pavement. Several more had fallen down, tracing some sort of path forward. Niijima Sae looked up ahead at their source, and as her eyes met smiling ones, she felt as though her heart just stopped.  
  
"A... kechi-kun...?"  
  
Akechi-kun's eyes turned to crescents. He was standing there in the shade of the trees, holding in his arms a large bouquet of forget-me-nots, so perfect-looking they seemed almost artificial. She stared at him lips parted, unable to trust her senses. The sharp uniform, the leather gloves, the straight posture, the long brown hair, the maroon eyes, the pleasant smile... they were all just as Niijima Sae remembered them to be.  
  
"Is that you...? Is that... really..."  
  
But just as she reached out to him, he instantaneously vanished, leaving her alone in the empty alley. She remained rooted to the spot for a very long time afterwards. The forget-me-nots scattered around her had remained behind.  
  
"Sis? Are you listening?"  
  
The pleasant scents of summer had given way to a milder flavor as the first days of October adorned Tokyo with the colors of fall. Niijima Sae felt as though eons had passed since her first encounter with Akechi-kun and yet, her recollection of the details was so vivid it might as well have happened yesterday. A jolt of tension coursed through her entire body as she pictured it all again, and Makoto had to actually shake her shoulder to finally get her attention.  
  
"Ah... I'm sorry, Makoto. You were saying?"  
  
Her little sister looked at her for several long seconds, her gaze conveying her concern just as plainly as if she had outright shared it aloud. "Sis, are you sure you're okay...? You've been acting strange recently..."  
  
"You are imagining things." the woman dismissed at once in what she hoped was strict enough a tone. Her heart tightened at the sight of Makoto's crestfallen eyes, and she quickly softened her approach. "Really, I'm alright, Makoto. Don't worry about me."  
  
The brown-haired girl seemed determined to press her on, but eventually decided otherwise – she knew how inflexible her sister could get. "If you say so, Sis..."  
  
Niijima Sae allowed herself to give a barely noticeable sigh of relief, though her respite stopped the moment Makoto brought up the one thing she dreaded to discuss with anyone, let alone her. "By the way, you replaced the forget-me-nots with new ones today, didn't you? You must really love them, Sis."  
  
The older woman gave a chuckle and muttered some noncommittal reply before changing the subject. What had once been a bunch of stems had now morphed into a full-blown bouquet, big and imposing. It had become more and more difficult to lie to Makoto about her newfound passion – she had claimed at first that she was picking them from a patch of flowers near the office, and while she had offered no explanation as to why she was putting them in the vase one by one with each new day rather than picking an entire bouquet, her sister had found the entire idea extremely endearing, much to her relief.  
  
However, now that the arrangement of flowers was big enough for Makoto not to notice it kept growing day by day, another problem had emerged, and it wasn't the insignificant kind. It was because Niijima Sae now pretended she regularly replaced the entire bouquet with a new one that Makoto never noticed the strangest detail about them, the one thing that challenged the woman's rationality to its very limits. Months had passed, but the flowers wouldn't wither, looking just as beautiful and fresh as the first day – a fact that kept astonishing her to this very moment.  
  
But no matter how eerie it all was, no matter how dumbfounded she was feeling, the ever-growing bouquet was of little concern compared to the sensation of unease gnawing at her stomach, the sensation that made her feel both afraid to the point of nausea and fascinated beyond measure. The sensation that flooded her each time she encountered Akechi-kun again.  
  
It was always happening at the same spot as the first time, right there in the empty alley. He was appearing usually in the morning, though she did run into him several times in the afternoon as well. It wasn't a regular occurrence though, for several days could go by and the alley would remain entirely deserted. When he did appear, however, he was like always greeting her with a smile, only to vanish the moment she took so much as a step toward him. It would be wrong to say all these encounters unfolded exactly the same way, however – because there was one thing that kept changing each time they met.  
  
As the bouquet inside the Niijima household was growing more and more imposing, the one in Akechi-kun's hand was getting incontestably thinner. She had noticed it no sooner than the fourteen days separating their first encounter from the second one. Today was the same – only a mere bunch of stems was hanging from his hand, hardly more than five or six. Niijima Sae's transfixed gaze remained on them for a long while before she finally spoke.  
  
"What's the meaning of this, Akechi-kun...? What are you doing here?"  
  
But all she would get by way of answer was a soft smile. The merest of odd moments on her part was enough to make him vanish instantly, even when she had no intention of approaching him – not that he would know, of course. He seemed determined not to let her get closer to him for some reason, and each of Niijima Sae's pleading calls fell on empty air, leaving her with a racing heartbeat that wouldn't slow down even hours later. She was aware, of course, that those occurrences didn't make any sense, but she had long let go of her common sense and rationality – only the unthinkable could explain it all. She knew that what she was seeing was real, no matter how much the pragmatic part of her screamed otherwise. Even so, she did feel overwhelmed despite her remarkable strength of mind... and it would only get worse from there. Because for the first time, on the evening of a particularly exhausting day at work, she had run into Akechi-kun somewhere other than the haunted alley.  
  
Then again, as she pushed open the door to the Leblanc coffee shop, as stunned crimson eyes met with big maroon ones, a tiny part of her... thought that it figured.  
  
"Akechi-kun...?" she couldn't help but murmur, entirely deaf to Sakura Sojiro's greeting. The teenager was there seated at the counter, a single stem of forget-me-nots in his hand. He responded to her acknowledgement with a fond smile.  
  
"Uh, is there a problem? You're looking awfully pale." the owner asked after a brief silence, raising a suspicious eyebrow. Niijima Sae looked at him like he was out of his mind.  
  
"Is there a problem? _Is there a problem...?"_ she echoed shakily, her voice lower than a whisper, until it suddenly rose to a shout. "O-Of course there is a problem! Why in the world is he here?! He's supposed to.... supposed to be..."  
  
There was something almost accusatory about the way she was pointing at the teenager. Her entire body was trembling, her arm especially, neither with rage nor fear, only utter hysteria. Akechi-kun blinked, and Sakura-san looked back and forth, from her to him and then her again.  
  
"Sorry, what are you talking about? You're the only one here, Niijima-san." he said, and there were so many things wrong with it that for a moment, Niijima Sae was at a loss for words. She redirected her gaze to Akechi-kun, who was smiling apologetically, until the owner once again prompted her. "Niijima-san?"  
  
The woman's chest was heaving fast. She kept fixing the brown-haired boy, her breathing coming in short, shallow gasps. She then took a step forward, and as if on cue, he vanished into thin air, leaving her alone with a very confused Sakura-san. Several long seconds passed before she slowly, gradually managed to regain her composure – or so she pretended, anyway. "It's... It's nothing. I... apologize."  
  
Her entire body stiff and tense, she sat down at the counter and fell into a deep silence while Sakura-san prepared for her a stronger cup of coffee than usual. The following night was yet another sleepless one as she kept tossing and turning, reliving in her head those unnerving minutes she had been through only hours before. She didn't understand, she didn't know why, she couldn't figure out for the life of her why Akechi-kun came back again and again, waiting for her, _following_ her... Was that his idea of a prank? Was he trying to taunt her? Or perhaps...  
  
In the end, that line of thought never reached a conclusion – as daybreak rose in the horizon, she finally drifted off to a deep slumber. Her alarm clock hauled her from unconsciousness after what felt like mere seconds, and she laboriously dragged herself out of bed, going through her morning routine on autopilot. She made it a point to avoid looking at the bouquet of forget-me-nots – a habit she had begun to pick up several weeks ago, breaking it only when absolutely necessary – and left her apartment, her heart heavy with gloom.  
  
And then, just like it happened so many times before... she ran into him, right there near the end of the deserted alley.  
  
"Akechi-kun..."  
  
The teenager looked over at her, kindly. Reddish leaves from the trees above were swirling slowly to the ground all around them both, carried by the breeze of fall. She stared at him, her pulse starting to quicken slightly, until the glass bottle denying her emotions freedom shattered in a thousand pieces. Her throat tightened, and all those months of frustration and incomprehension poured out of her mouth in the form of a shout.  
  
"Why?! Why are you here?!" she cried out, deep wrinkles of distress suddenly creasing her face. "What aren't you passing on?! What do you want from me?!"  
  
Her chest rose and fell rapidly with each of her quick breaths. When she went on, she sounded much less frantic, much more feeble. "I... I am the only one who can see you, aren't I...?"  
  
Akechi-kun nodded, his soft smile never once fading. She gazed at him for a moment, and before she could stop herself, she scurried toward him, already resigning herself to his imminent flight – except Akechi-kun didn't disappear. He remained there, looking entirely serene, allowing her to edge closer. This is when she noticed.  
  
His flowers... They were all gone.  
The last stem of forget-me-nots, the one she had witnessed in his hand only yesterday... was no longer there.  
  
"... What is the meaning of this? Why do you keep coming back...?" she inquired with an unmistakable pleading note in her voice. She was now within arm's reach, her eyes begging for an answer. Akechi-kun opened his mouth, only to close it again and smile dejectedly in the end. Her instinct took over in response, and before she could consciously give the command, her hand moved on its own and gripped the teenager's wrist. He let out a silent gasp, the peaceful air around him stepping aside for the first time in favor of a look of surprise, an emotion she was sharing as well. His arm was cold, no, outright freezing – she could sense a biting chill seeping through his sleeve.  
  
"What do you want, Akechi-kun...?" she whispered as her hand instinctively left his arm to cup his cheek, the contact of her bare skin against his akin to touching ice cold water. "What are you trying to tell me...?"

Akechi-kun's smile returned. He didn't speak.  
  
But Niijima Sae found she didn't need him to. Because as her eyes met his melancholic gaze, she finally understood. The meaning of the joy and sadness mingling was crystal clear, rendering the use of words unnecessary.  
  
_"Please..."  
  
_ The woman's lip trembled. Akechi-kun gave her yet another smile.  
  
_"Please, Sae-san..."_  
  
She could feel his flesh under the palm of her hand fade away as he vanished from existence. As he left her forever behind.  
  
_"Please... Don't forget me."_  
  
Only the soft rustle of the trees broke the silence. A cool wind rose, blowing past the alley, blowing past her. Niijima Sae didn't notice. She stared off into the distance, her features giving nothing away.  
  
With a long, deep breath, she closed her eyes, feeling invigorated by the slight chill in the air. She remained there for quite a while, silently enjoying the lulling of the tree leaves along with the mild scent they exulted. Then, without warning, a smile broke over her face. Akechi-kun had trusted her with his final wish, and so she promised.  
  
"I'm, I'm sorry, e-everyone... I-I know th-this is em-embarrassing..."  
  
Years had passed since that last encounter. A large gathering of people was cheering together, their applause roaring like thunder as the groom and bride were being declared bonded for life. The loudest ovations came from a group of young men and women, either in their late teens or college years, all of them occupying the first two front rows. One of the girls was crying her eyes out, seemingly deaf to the comforting words all around her.  
  
"Mako-chan..." one of them, an elegant young woman, was murmuring in a soothing voice. The crying one didn't respond, ignoring even her blonde-haired friend as she patted her on the back.  
  
"C'mon, Makoto, you're missing out! Look how pretty your sister is!" a younger, chipper girl cried out before looking over her shoulder at the second row. "Are you feeling inspired yet, Inari?"  
  
The young man apparently named Inari gave a nod, satisfaction plain in his eyes. "It has been a while since I have seen such beauty. I will make sure to do it justice in my next artwork. That hint of smoky blue on Niijima-san's dress offers a magnificent contrast with the warm undertone of–"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, we get the gist, Inari." a stocky youth cut off unceremoniously before elbowing his neighbor, jerking his chin toward the newly-weds. "But damn, it's true they both look great. Right, Ren?"  
  
The so-called Ren smiled, a quiet, soft little curve. He gazed at them, at the groom and the bride, until a single word left his lips.  
  
"... Yeah."  
  
Niijima Sae, meanwhile, heard none of their conversation – the continuous clapping around muffled it all. She was beaming at the crowd, her hand wrapped around the arm of the person she chose to spend the rest of her life with. Her entire face, from her pure white smile to her sparkling eyes, was lit up with happiness.  
  
"By the way, Makoto, I was wondering..." the blonde woman asked to the crying girl, whose sobs were growing slightly quieter. "About that bouquet your sister is holding..."  
  
"Oh, I was wondering about that too!" came a little voice from inside Ren's bag, prompting him and the stocky youth to hastily glance all around in agitation. "Those flowers are forget-me-nots, aren't they? That's quite a strange choice for a wedding, I must say."  
  
"Yes... That's true." Makoto admitted, wiping her eyes feebly. "I'm a bit surprised myself, to be honest... Sis never cared much for flowers when we were younger. She sort of developed a passion for them overnight and began to pick forget-me-nots everyday. She told me years ago that if she ever got married, her wedding bouquet would be an arrangement of only forget-me-nots for some reason."  
  
"But forget-me-nots are so beautiful." the first woman remarked in a dreamy sigh. "I am so glad Niijima-san gave wildflowers a chance. Your vase at home is always filled with them, isn't it?"  
  
"It is. Actually, the bouquet she's holding and the bouquet at home are one and the same." Makoto explained with a weak smile. "She said it was exactly how she wanted her wedding bouquet to be."  
  
"Whoa... I guess that bouquet holds more sentimental value to her than any of the expensive ones in stores, huh." the little voice commented, and Makoto responded with a nod.  
  
The ovations were showing no sign of dying down anytime soon. Niijima Sae kept addressing the entire crowd her most beautiful smile, touched by their devotion, but it was only when she caught a glimpse of a particular silhouette that her lip finally trembled.  
  
Far away, at the very end of the room, stood Akechi-kun. His face was the most radiant of all.  
Nobody seemed to be aware of his presence. As though he were part of another world.  
Niijima Sae's eyes glistened. It was the first time she saw him in years. The first time she saw him since then.  
Her grip around her bouquet tightened, and Akechi-kun's smile mellowed even more. The next moment, he was gone. She knew she wouldn't see him ever again.  
Even so, she accepted that fact with a smile. Because she was certain the memory would remain.

The forget-me-nots hadn't withered in several years. And something told Niijima Sae they wouldn't do so anytime soon.


End file.
